Nigeria’s House of Representatives has pledged stronger legislative action to boost food security and revitalise the agricultural sector amid rising concerns over food shortages and inflation.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Deputy Chief Whip Ibrahim Isiaka, said this during a public hearing in Abuja on Monday, organised by the House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services.
Lawmakers are considering three key bills, including amendments to the National Agricultural Development Fund Act, the creation of a National Farm Settlements Agency, and the establishment of a National Rice Production, Processing and Research Institute in Kebbi State.
Tajudeen described the proposed legislation as “cornerstones” for a more self-sufficient Nigeria, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his State of Emergency on Food Security.
Committee Chairman Bello Ka’oje stressed that agriculture remains vital for national development, employment, and poverty reduction, calling for collaboration among farmers, investors, and policymakers to shape effective and practical reforms.
Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, added that ensuring farmers’ access to credit and finance is essential to increasing productivity and sustaining food supply.
